Your First Visit to a Korean Skin Clinic: What Happens, Step by Step

Before you arrive: what should you send ahead?

Most visitors contact the clinic a few days or weeks before the trip. A clear photo of the area you want to treat, taken in daylight without makeup or filters, lets the clinic tell you whether your idea is realistic and which treatments are worth discussing. It also helps to mention your travel dates, since some treatments are better early in a trip. Our downtime planner shows which treatments need more days before you fly.

A message exchange is not a diagnosis. The final plan is always made after a doctor has examined you in person.

What to bring on the day

• Your passport. Clinics usually ask foreign patients for it to register you.
• A list of your medicines and supplements, especially blood thinners, aspirin, fish oil, isotretinoin or anything for skin.
• Your treatment history: product names and dates of past filler, Botox, threads or lifting. A photo of an old treatment record is enough.
• Allergies, including to local anaesthetics.
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for the walk back, and a scarf or mask if you want to cover redness.

Arrive with clean skin if you can. If you come straight from sightseeing in makeup, the clinic will ask you to remove it before photos and numbing.

Step 1: Arrival and the intake form

At the front desk you give your name and passport, and you fill out a registration and health questionnaire. It asks about medical conditions, pregnancy, medicines, allergies, past procedures and what you want to change. Answer it fully. Things that seem unrelated, such as a cold sore history or a recent course of acne medicine, can change what is safe on the day.

You will also be asked to read and sign a consent form before any treatment. If something on the form is unclear, ask for it to be explained before you sign.

Step 2: What happens in the consultation?

This is the most important part of the visit. A doctor looks at your skin, often under good light and from several angles, asks what bothers you most, and explains what can and cannot be changed. Expect to hear:

• which treatment fits your concern, and which ones would not help;
• the product or device name, and the amount, units or shots planned;
• what you will look like in the first days, and when the result shows;
• the risks that apply to you;
• the total cost for the plan you agreed.

You do not have to decide on the spot. It is reasonable to take the plan away, think about it over coffee, and come back later in the trip. If you are not sure where to start, our page on Korean skin treatments by concern is a useful way to prepare questions.

Step 3: Photos and preparation

Before treatment, the clinic takes standard photos of your face, usually from the front and both sides, against a plain background and in the same light each time. These are medical records. They let you and the doctor compare fairly at a follow-up, because results from collagen-building treatments appear slowly and are easy to misjudge from memory. Ask if you would like a copy.

Your skin is then cleansed, and the treatment area may be marked with a pen.

Step 4: How long is the numbing wait?

For treatments that use needles or deeper energy, such as fillers, skin boosters, lifting devices or RF microneedling, numbing cream is applied and left on for a while. It is commonly around 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the treatment and the area. You sit in a quiet room during this time. It is a good moment to ask any last questions.

Some treatments need little or no numbing. Botox and laser toning are often done without a long wait, and many fillers contain a local anaesthetic.

Step 5: The treatment itself

The treatment is done in a procedure room. Depending on what you are having, it takes from a few minutes for Botox to an hour or so for a full-face lifting session. You can tell the doctor at any point if something hurts too much; energy levels and technique can often be adjusted. For fillers, you will usually be given a mirror to check the shape before you leave.

Afterwards, there may be a cooling mask, a soothing cream or a short rest with an ice pack.

Step 6: Payment and the aftercare sheet

Payment is usually taken at the front desk when you leave. Ask for an itemised receipt that lists the treatment and product, which is useful for your records and if you need a review later. Korea’s cosmetic treatment tax refund for foreign visitors has ended; our note on the tax refund change explains what that means for your budget.

You should also leave with aftercare instructions. They normally cover:

• when you can wash your face and wear makeup again;
• whether to avoid alcohol, saunas, exercise or pressure on the area, and for how long;
• sun protection;
• which signs are normal and which mean you should contact the clinic;
• when to come back for a review, if one is planned.

Keep the clinic’s messaging contact. If anything worries you after you get back to your hotel, or after you fly home, send a photo and ask.

A few things that surprise first-time visitors

• It can feel fast. Korean clinics are efficient. If you want more time with the doctor, say so; good clinics will make room for questions.
• Treatments are often combined. You may be offered more than one treatment in the same visit. Ask why each one is needed, and say no to anything you did not come for.
• Products are named. You have the right to know which product or device is used. It is fine to ask to see the box, and for a sealed product to be opened in front of you. You can read more about our clinic before you come.

Your first visit at Maylin Apgujeong

Maylin Clinic Apgujeong is on floors B1 to 4 of the Hyeong Building, 815 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The consultation is in English, and a doctor examines you and explains the plan before anything is booked. The cost depends on the treatment, the product and the amount, and you get a clear quote after the consultation. Directions are on our contact and location page.

FAQ

Plan a visit: send a photo of the area you want to treat on WhatsApp, LINE, or KakaoTalk, with your travel dates, and we will explain what your first visit could look like, in English, before you land.